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THE ALKAHEST L YCEUM SYSTEM: Since the days of Aristotle, the founder of the “Peripatetic” School of Philosophy, and since the time of the wandering minstrels who by word of mouth carried to the people instruction skilfully combined with entertainment, it has been recog nized that the most forceful and effective method of transmitting knowledge is by spoken words. This fact is the foundation of the spoken lecture as an educational method, rather than the written text book, and the most recent students of pedagogy have declared that the lecture even to beginners in education, is vastly more satisfactory than a close adherence to any text book, however well prepared. Educational Value of the Lecture. Thus with the precedent of the ancient Greeks as well as of the Anglo-Saxon forbears of our race we of today must fully recognize the value of the lecture as an educational influence, as well as of the effectiveness of the musical or humorous en tertainer when brought before an audience of refine ment and culture. ’ ... -S,. • W W R o s jii 9 I < - •" * ■ -■ ik. * •. S. RUSSELL BRIDGES, General Manager. But the occasional lecture, given at indefinite and indeterminate times, loses much of its force and may even be lost sight of altogether because of con flicting personal engagement, as well as for many other reasons. This fact emphasizes the usefulness of a special set course of lectures, recurring at fixed dates, and given with a view to diversity, effective ness and enjoyment. That such a set course must be of benefit to any community goes without saying and The Golden Age must ever applaud such a sys tem and advocate its continuance. The “Alkahest System.’’ Because of its geographical position the South is often debarred from the visits of the foremost lec turers and entertainers of the country who find a wide field among a few large cities of the North and West. This fact being well recognized it was found necessary to employ some plan by which the South might be assured regular visits by a fixed number of eminent thinkers and speakers, and in an effort to meet this need there was organized in At lanta, about seven years ago, what was known as the “Alkahest Lyceum System.” The enterprise was comparatively speaking a new one and required much careful management. During its first few years it met with many and various vicissitudes— so many, in fact, that about four years ago it was re-organized with Mr. S. R. Bridges as president and Mr. F. M. Loveless as secretary and treasurer. Both these gentlemen, having been connected with the enterprise from its very beginning, were ably fitted to meet and overcome the disabilities of the original enterprise. Atanta, being a central city of the South, was continued as the headquar ters of the company and a systematic course of work was outlined. Complexity of the System. To the uninitiated it may seem a simple matter to conduct a course of lectures in the chief cities of the South, but when it is considered that the terri tory covered extends from the mountains of Virgin ia to the gulf coast of Mississippi and from the everglades of Florida to the prairies of Texas, and also that each individual community has distinct and separate desires as far as a lecture course is concerned, some small idea of the work of a Iy-» ceum system may be imagined. The Golden Age for October 18, 1906. Then, too, there is the broad question of en gaging suitable talent to meet this wide and varied demand. And perhaps this is, after all, the main difficulty to be met and overcome. In the case of the Alkahest Bureau, which we have under con sideration, this feature seems to have been well met, but again, with what effort it is difficult to determine. Personality of the “Entertainers.” A lecture course to be successful must be first of all an entertaining one. No matter how useful a man’s philosophy may be to the world at large, the general public will not listen to an exposition of it unless this exposition be clothed attractively. A preacher may have a burning message for the WO rld—-he may be able to write it with scholarly pen and in rounded graceful sentences which will hold his reader for hours at a time, but unless he can also give the supreme touch of personal mag netism to his spoken words they fail of their pur pose. And it is this “supreme touch” that the Lyceum manager must discover and then “grapple it to himself with hooks of steel.” or as is more frequently the case in these utilitarian days, with contracts of law made binding by adequate mone tary return. Personality of the Movement. Both Mr. Bridges and Mr. Loveless feel that in introducing a lecturer to a city the personal en dorsement of the Bureau is given as to the efficien cy of the entertainer, and this sense of responsi bility insures to the public a fulfillment of every promise made. But the Alkahest Bureau does not deal directly with the public—each city must of it self have a committee, and association or the like, to choose the platform attractions for a certain season. These men are supposed to know their own indi vidual publics and to accept the of the Ly ceum management as to the fitness of each number selected from a long list. Scope of the Work. This plan has proven eminently successful, and today this association covers 200 cities and does an annual business of over SIOO,OOO. Yet so varied are the attractions offered that it is but seldom that two cities will have a like list, and closely ad jacent towns are not encouraged to engage similar talent. F. M. LOVELESS, Secretary and Treasurer. The Central Bureau or Agency, deals directly with the talent offered and the different cities, after determining on their course do all their own ad vertising. exploiting, etc. “Frederick Warde in Atlanta.” Occasionally the “Alkahest” may not include on its list some specially desired lecturer; this was the case when the Atlanta Lecture Association wished to have Mr. Frederick Warde included in the Atlanta course. The move in such a case was for the management of the Bureau to confer with Mr. Warde’s personal management and provide this at traction for the city of Atlanta. And a most po tent attraction it proved to be. Mr. Warde is the greatest living interpreter of Shakespeare we have today; his work as a Shakespearean stu dent has attracted widespread attention and the two lectures which he delivered during the past •week in Atlanta were marked with a grace, a charm and a polish which must give to his hearers a yet keener appreciation of the rare genius of the “Bard of Avon.” The Lecture in the High School. It means much to young students to have a sort of object lesson of their work brought forcibly be fore them, and such was Mr. Warde’s lecture at the Girls’ High School of Atlanta. His subject was “The Wit and Wisdom of Shakespeare’s Fools,” and as the classes he addressed had all studied the works of Shakepeare it seemed a sort of living por trayal of these great characters to hear their mar velous lines spoken by a true artist and a lover of the great poet. The Golden Age believes in the lecture platform as a strong factor in educational movements as well as a higher form of amusement. All methods which bring good to the people are endorsed by us and we are glad to give hearty and unstinted com mendation to the Alkahest Lyceum Bureau or to any other source the work of which is in consonance with our ideals. ,S. T. D. Sam Jones in Oklahoma. (The following communication reached the office of The Golden Age only a few minutes before the dispatches that announced the death of the great evangelist.—Editor.) Dear Brother Upshaw:— Since our first letter God has been coming very close to Oklahoma City. Not in the history of the city has there been inaugurated a religious move ment of such magnitude. Hundreds and thous ands of lives have been touched and moulded for God. To see the thousands of eager faces is enough to move a heart of stone. Rev. Sam P. Jones has had the very best health, and been in the best spirits. He has never preach ed with more vim and power. Perhaps the crown ing service was his “Stag Party.” Five thousand men were present. He preached on “Escape for Thy Life.” A more powerful sermon was never heard in this new city. Mr. E. O. Excell sang, “There is Glory in My Soul.” He was never in better voice or fuller of the Spirit. The great audience was broken up with the message of song. Fully 2,000 people came forward and gave Brother Jones their hands, promising God a better life. At the same hour I preached to women in the First M. E. church. The large church was filled to its utmost capacity, and hundreds were turned away. Many were converted and reclaimed, and the great audience came forward, promising to lead a more consistent life. Mr. Smoot sang, “He’s the One,” with telling effect. Each day Brother Jones has preached to large audiences. Sometimes we alternated in the morn ing services; and I took the afternoon services reg ularly. God’s power has been in evidence at all the services and lives have been changed. The meetings will close Sunday night. Mr. and Mrs. Jones will leave for Cartersville for a few days’ rest. Mr. E. O. Excell will return to Chica go for a week’s rest, before going to Mississippi. Mr. Edwin Smoot leaves today for Holly Springs, Miss., to organize the choir and get the meeting in good shape. Mrs. Pyron, Miss Jones and myself ■will leave Sunday at midnight, for Holly Springs. I will keep the meeting going until Brother Jones arrives. Will send you greetings from Mississippi. With best wishes for The Golden Age, Sincerely, Walt Holcomb. Oklahoma City, Oct. 12, 1906. The most common cause of disease infection is through the medium of the house fly and the prin cipal breeding place of this small insect is in the vicinity of stables. As the house fly carries the most deadly germs it may be said to slay many mil lions each year and no precaution should be deemed too strenuous or too vigorous to protect food from flies as it is through that medium that the poison is conveyed from the insect to the individual. 7